Simplifying the complicated

Meg Newberg simplifies cane-building on PolymerClayDaily

Arizona’s Meg Newbert (polymerclayworkshop) thinks canes. She likes nothing better than to take designs that look impossibly complex and make them doable for both beginners and experienced caners. She’s done this every month for years!

It’s like mental gymnastics for those who’ve been at this a while. Lots of us may not make the cane she suggests but following along still gives us a thrill. Did I mention that at $5/month, she’s the best deal around for those who never tire of the thrill of slicing into a snake of clay for the big reveal?

What do you suppose Meg’s stash of canes looks like by now?

New products are coming off the production line, clay is climbing back on the shelves and shows are starting up. It’s a crazy world but in some corners, we’re trying to stay sane and creative. See what’s blooming this spring in Saturday’s StudioMojo.

Ornamental puffins

Linda Leach adds puffins to her Christmas tree on PolymerClayDaily.com

It’s not surprising that Maine’s Linda Leach has sold out her puffin ornaments at CraftBoston. Who could resist the mix of canes and wire with a dash of color on their bills? Dangle them from the tree or stand them on the mantle.

Her flamingos have flown the coop too. She may still have a few loons left but you’ll have to move fast to catch them.

Why limit your holiday art to the usual candy canes and red/green palette? Linda shows us that all sorts of fanciful designs bring joy to the holidays.

Winter cardinals on your shoulder

Illinois’ Linda Webb (Creekside Mosaic) captures both the male and female cardinals in her latest mosaic brooches.

Linda Webb puts cardinals on your shoulder on PolymerClayDaily.com

Both of these are plentiful on midwest feeders at this time of year. The bright red flashes are like natural holiday decorations.

They’re also fluttering on her Etsy page along with several smaller mosaic molds in case you’d like to try your hand at Linda’s brand of mosaics.

Earrings for birders

Are there bee-eaters on your worktable? from PolymerClayDaily.com

Australia’s Bron (bombalabee) knows her birds. These are rainbow bee-eaters. Other species fly in and out of her shop – pin robins, black cockatoos, rosellas, macaws, parrots, magpies, and more.

Bron layers on polymer feathers with a birder’s eye for detail, shapes, and colors. Her website is launching this month. Welcome her.

What’s on your feeder?

Sometimes it is painted!

Geninne Zlatkis paints her polymer mobile on Polymer Clay Daily.com

New Mexico’s Geninne Zlatkis paints and decorates, illustrates, and photographs. Every once in a rare while, she works with polymer as in this bird mobile. Yes, they’re painted.

No complex techniques, just a love of birds, and an understanding of their shapes topped with an illustrator’s ability to translate feathers into lines and dots.

It’s a pleasure to see landscapes and architecture through her eyes.

Over at StudioMojo, this is what I look for. We cast a wider net to spotlight outlier artists who understand the importance of polymer as one of many tools in their toolbox. Come on down and see what surprises we’ve dug up for your weekend entertainment.

Her birds take wing

Joan Tayler's birds take flight on PolymerClayDaily.com

Vancouver’s Joan Tayler has a way with birds like this little one she’s calling “Dicky Bird” that’s now a zipper pull. She also makes them into whistles, earrings, necklaces, and more.

Joan is creating a flock of various species for her 100-day challenge. Her drawings and in-process shots on Instagram are captivating. Joan knows her birds.

Going cuckoo

Gael Keyes goes a little cuckoo with outrageous birds on PolymerClayDaily.com

New Mexico’s Gael Keyes (@keyesgael) focused on bugs at last year’s Clayathon. This year she’s added outrageous fish and birds to her repertoire of wildlife.

Gael developed her own cane style that she pattern-matches in the Natasha bead way (here’s a quick tutorial) to create feathers, fins, and wings.

During the holidays she turns to her own brands of angels that you can see on Facebook.

It’s beginning to look a lot like ornaments

Carole Monahan's birds make easy designs for your tree on PolymerClayDaily.com

This is our second look at the ornaments that the members of the Connecticut guild (SCPCG) created for a decorated tree competition that benefits the Ronald McDonald House in New Haven.

These cardinals from Carole Monahan are lightweight and stylized. The design requires a few simple flat cutouts of textured clay with extra bits for wings, eye, and beak.

Bake the wire hanger right into the clay. Easy, peasy and there’s still time to make them!

Sending happy out

Pamela Carman sends happy out for your Monday on PolymerClayDaily.com

“It’s the joy of riotous color and pattern that drives me to create my work. It is my way of sending happy out into the world,” says Florida’s Pamela Carmen.

Nothing better than a bird of happiness to fly into your Monday. Can you picture the supply of canes Pamela must have on hand to feather her large menagerie? See her creations on Flickr.

Her entry in a recent show called Woof, Meow, Chirp, and Slither: Artists interpret the world of pets earned a top award from Florida CraftArt. When you send happy out, some of it returns to you.

Polymer ornithology

Marni Southam has turned a love of birds into an earring business on PolymerClayDaily.com

Australia’s Marni Southam (Oleander Avenue) has an amazing ability to turn every scrap of polymer into a bird.

Her alchemy is mesmerizing. A circle, some stripes, a triangle, more bits of color and a bird emerges. How does she do that?

Combine her knowledge of birds with a love of earrings and you’ve got a thriving business.

The story of her Blue Fairy Wrens is touching and clearly explains her obsession with ornithology. I can’t help but think of Ohio illustrator Charlie Harper whom I met when I worked for Ohio’s Department of Natural Resources.

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